Severe weather possible in the Tri-State on Wednesday

Ryan Reynolds, Evansville Courier & Press
·2 min read

A wetter-than-normal start to August will continue this week in the Evansville area, the National Weather Service says, with severe thunderstorms possible on Wednesday.

One to two rounds of thunderstorms could race through the region on Wednesday, with damaging winds the main concern. Flash flooding could also be an issue if there are multiple instances of severe weather in a given location.

The city already received an inch of rain through the first six days of August − a third of the way to the monthly average for what is usually Evansville's driest month (3.07 inches of rain on average).

Here's what to know about the storm chances on Wednesday, then again later this week.

Any idea on when the storms will arrive in Evansville?

According to Derrick Snyder, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Paducah, Kentucky, it's looking like there will be two rounds on Wednesday: A weaker set of storms in the morning that could drop locally heavy rain, and a stronger line of storms in the late afternoon to nighttime hours.

Any chances of a tornado forming?

Snyder said it's possible that a "spin-up tornado" could happen, but forecasters are mainly concerned with damaging wind gusts and flooding rain.

So why have there been so many storms lately? August is usually dry in Evansville.

The Tri-State is caught in an unusual pattern for early August, Snyder said. Usually, this time of year, high pressure builds over the Ohio Valley. That brings with it a couple of things: Hot, humid weather here in the Evansville area, and a storm track that takes severe weather well north of the region.

Not this year. This week will be cooler than normal, and as has been the case for a week or so, the area will continue to be near the main storm track.

Some areas have had it worse than others. In Hickman, Kentucky, near Paducah, officials measured more than 11 inches of rain in a 33-hour period, leading to extensive flooding.

What could limit severe weather on Wednesday?

It's going to be slightly cooler and slightly less humid than normal in the Evansville area, so there's going to be less energy in the atmosphere for storms to work with.

However, there will be plenty of wind shear, which could help the storms overcome the lack of temperature-related energy.

This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Will it storm in Evansville on Wednesday?